Each summer since 2002, PCCM brings high school students from underrepresented backgrounds to Princeton to attend the Princeton University Materials Academy (PUMA), a three-week materials science and engineering program. The PUMA curriculum consists of inquiry-based, hands-on labs, and project-based learning, supported by lectures and interaction with PCCM faculty and graduate students. The students work with the faculty on current research projects; therefore the curriculum is different every year.
PUMA 2024: The materials science of HAIR !
Summer 2024, July 8 - 26.
The Princeton Center for Complex Materials, in collaboration with TRIO Upward Bound and TRI Princeton, welcomed 8 high school students to the Princeton University Materials Academy in summer 2024, for a research-based project learning experience as we investigated the mechanics, structure and chemistry of hair.
2024 PUMA students gather at the front of Nassau Hall during a campus tour on their first day of the program.
- AGENDA:
-Lessons and labs with lead teacher, Mr. Alexander Henderson.
-Guest lectures by Princeton University researchers, as well as scientists from TRI Princeton and L’Oréal.
-Tours of Princeton University and TRI Princeton.
-Demonstrations with state-of-the-art equipment in the Imaging and Analysis Center.
-Python coding tutorials.
-Independent projects.
-College panel.
-Conference style poster presentation.
CONGRATULATIONS PUMA 2024! 3 WEEK- SLIDESHOW Click here
PUMA 2022: Materials That Move & Play!
The 2022 PUMA summer program will be an in-person program focused on students’ STEAM and science communication. Projects are going to be based on materials science concepts learned from short presentations which will be conducted by Princeton University’s faculty and research community members. Designed to hone students’ skills and knowledge about how materials and material science are fueling innovation, students will leave an “imprint” on their community as they share media they produce. Participants in the PUMA program for Summer 2022 will have opportunities to explore materials from the perspective of play. Building on the way that materials move and respond under different conditions, students will conduct experiments that explore solutions and create their own versions of stretchy, bouncy, bubbly and sticky substances that are commonly used to reduce stress. The 2022 PUMA Projects include, Chemistry of Playdough, Chemistry of Silly Putty (non-Newtonian material, and Glow stick Chemistry, Kinetic sand and many other materials well be explored scientifically.
In sum, Students will learn about a diversity of scientists who engineered play and more interesting inventions that make life fun!
PUMA 2022 program Agendas:
PUMA 2022 agenda (Week 2 - Part 1)
PUMA 2022 agenda (Week 2 - Part 2 & Week 3)
PUMA 2022 Photos:
PUMA 2022 high school students, showcasing their "Oobleck" experiment! (a mix of corn starch and water). This teaches the students about the behavior of different materials.
PUMA 2022 students in their classroom learning all things Materials Science with the teachings of Dr. Joy Barnes-Johnson.
PUMA 2022 students, during their Wood Blocks – Sustainable Constructions experiment. The students built a small vault without supports, taught by Postdoctoral Research Associate, Robin Oval from Sigrid Adriaenssens!
PUMA 2022 high school students on a tour around Princeton University's campus to gain insight on what it is like to be a college student at Princeton University!
And that's a wrap on PUMA 2022!
The PUMA 2022 high school students presented their projects that showcased their learnings and experiments on Materials Science through websites, and technical posters that they created.
(left) Dr. Joy Barnes-Johnson and PUMA 2022 high school students. (right) Upward Bound's Stacy Denton and PCCM's Dr. Daniel Steinberg
PUMA 2022: Final Project Presentations:
PUMA 2022 student's Website Links:
https://infograph.venngage.com/ps/rC8uh1DUHfA/puma-2022-henriettie-ondongo
https://sites.google.com/view/engineeredplayusingmomentum/home
https://sites.google.com/view/force-of-magnetic-attraction/home
https://sites.google.com/view/gasandliquidpuma/home
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WESE-iJfZ72YdN-hywiqPxPD6Z7Gp7opVBrPNDcfSyA/edit#
https://sites.google.com/view/growingsaltcrystals/about-me
https://infograph.venngage.com/ps/33G1Wy2Z69I/the-oil-effect-on-kinetic-sand
https://sites.google.com/view/buildingbridgeswithpolymers/material-science
PUMA 2022 student's Technical Posters:
https://infograph.venngage.com/ps/cuOz2W1QKwk/growing-crystals-on-different-material-surfaces
https://infograph.venngage.com/ps/D1tBEVzQzcY/architecture-with-polymers-research-poster
PUMA 2021: Communicating Materials Science to the Public
The 2021 PUMA summer program was virtual and focused on students’ STEAM and science communication. Projects were based on materials science concepts learned from short presentations conducted by Princeton University faculty and research community members. Designed to hone students’ skills and knowledge about how materials and material science are fueling innovation, students will leave an “imprint” on their community as they share media they produce. The PUMA PAWS program will present Public Audio Wonder Shorts (PAWS) as a way to share learning. Students spent 1-2 hours each day with program instructors. The rest of the day students worked independently on research and assignments. PUMA 2021 Agenda
PUMA 2020
The 2020 curriculum focused on sustainable materials and the importance of materials science in achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). At the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in September 2015, 193 member nations adopted an agenda for the next 15 years, entitled "Transforming Our World: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The agenda included 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are a blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and planet. Materials science research and engineering is core to innovating the new technologies that will help transform our world to meet these goals. The development of efficient clean energy technology and infrastructure, the delivery of potable water through nanotechnology, and improving health outcomes through better medical devices and molecules are but a few examples of work that is being undertaken by materials scientists and engineers around the world to ensure an ecologically and economically sustainable future for all. PUMA 2020: news article / video resources
Professor Sujit Datta shows 2019 PUMA high school students material samples used to investigate environmental cleanup and drug delivery. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)
PUMA 2019
The 2019 program enrolled 15 students from Trenton, Hamilton and Princeton who learned about the history of materials used for information storage, from clay to computers. In addition to participating in coursework, independent projects and lab tours, the PUMA students met with undergraduate and graduate students for conversations about career paths in science and engineering. PUMA 2019 news article / video
Archived Press Coverage of the PUMA program
Archived PUMA Lesson Plans, available for PDF download